Inter-cylinder combustion control system for an internal combustion engine



ETAL 3,095,865

CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ION ENGINE July 2, 1963 c, MARKS INTER-CYLINDER COMBUSTION AN INTERNAL COMBUSI Filed Dec.

f 9 INVENTOIZ;

zale/f f gg i bites T Filed Dec. 9, 1969, er. No. 74,894 15 Claims. (Cl. 123-55) This invention relates to an internal combustion engine and particularly contemplates a method and apparatus for increasing engine combustion efficiency, power output and durability while reducing the fuel requirements of a relatively high compression engine principally by the suppression and/or attenuation of detonation.

In accordance with the invention, the several expansible combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine are interconnected to sequentially inject combustion pressure impulses into the several combustion chambers during the latter phases of their respective compression strokes including the initial period of flame front propagation therein. To prevent detonation, the gas pressure impulse supplied to each combustion chamber cools and agitates the combustible charge in the end gas region of the cornbustion chamber or the portion of the chamber remote from the combustion initiating device.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description having reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic elevational view showing the firing order of an eight-cylinder V-englue and the interconnections provided between the several cylinders in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the engine of FIGURE 1 showing a portion of the inter-cylinder gas pressure impulse injection system of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view similar to a portion of FIGURE 2 with portions thereof broken away and in section to show a preferred form of pressure impulse injector valve in its normal closed position; and

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged view of a portion of the impulse injector valve showing the valve member in its pressure impulse supplying opened position.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing, an eight-cylinder 90 V-engine is indicated generally by the reference numeral and comprises a block member 12 defining the two inline rows 14 of veed cylinders. Two cylinder heads 16 are secured to the upper outwardly inclined walls of the cylinder block and cooperate with pistons 18 reciprocably mounted in the several cylinders to define a plurality of expansible combustion chambers 20. The cylinder heads 16 are of a water-jacketed valve-in-head type and each reciprocably mounts four pairs of inlet and exhaust valves 22, an inlet and an exhaust valve opening into each expansible combustible chamber. These valves are spring biased to normally closed positions and are sequentially opened in timed phased relation to crankshaft rotation through con ventional camshaft actuation of overhead rocker mechanisms indicated at 24. The paired inlet and exhaust valves for each cylinder open into wedge-shaped combustion chamber defining recesses 26 which are spaced and eXtend longitudinally of the cylinder heads. Combustion initiating spark plugs 28 are threadably mounted in the lower combustion chamber defining wall of the heads and project into major portions of the wedge-shaped combustion chamber recesses between the inlet and eX- haust valve openings therein.

For purposes of illustration, the several cylinders have Patented July 2, 1963 been numbered 1-8; the cylinders of the right hand bank looking rearwardly of the engine are designated by the odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7 from front to rear and the cylinders of the left hand bank are similarly designated by the even numbers 2, 4, 6, 8. A conventional crankshaft throw arrangement provides a firing order of 18736- 542. In accordance with the invention, the several cylinders or combustion chambers are interconnected through combustion pressure operated injection valves 30 and suitable pressure connections indicated by the arrows a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, in FIGURE 1, to supply a combustion pressure impulse from each combustion chamber to the combustion chamber or cylinder phased to fire thereafter. The cylinder 1 is thus connected to supply a combustion pressure impulse to cylinder 8, the cylinder 8 supplying the cylinder 7, etc.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, each injector valve mechanism 3% comprises a cylindrical casing 32 Which extends through a grommet sealed opening 34 provided therefor in the overhead rocker cover 36 and through aligned openings 38 and 40 in the upper and lower jacket defining walls of the cylinder head. The intermediate portion of each casing 32 is sealed with respect to the opening 38 by a gasket 42 and its lower end is threadably secured to and sealed with respect to the lower opening 40. Each opening '40 is located in the wall portion of the head defining the end gas region of its respective combustion chamber. As indicated above, this is the portion of the combustion chamber furthest from the spark plug 28 and is thus in the region in which the combustible charge is last ignited. The upper end of each casing 32 is connected through a suitable high pressure fitting 44 and supply line 46 to the combustion pressure supplying cylinder as indicated above.

A valve mounting sleeve 48 of stepped internal and external diameters is slidably mounted in the lower end of each casing 32 and is maintained in shoulder abutment therewith at 50 by a spacer sleeve 52 and a hollow retaining nut 54 threaded into the upper end of the casing member. Each valve mounting sleeve 48 spacedly embraces the stem portion 56 of a poppet valve member 58 to define a gas flow passage 60 therebetween. The lower end of the valve mounting sleeve 48 defines a frustospherical seat 62 which is sealingly engageable by a hemispherical head 64 carried by the lower end of the valve stem 56. The valve member 58 is normally biased to a closed, seat engaging position by the pressure occurring within its associated combustion chamber and by the biasing action of a valve return spring 66. The return spring 66 is compressively interposed between a spring seating washer 63 carried by the upper end of the valve stem 56 and a spring seating shoulder '70 tormed adjacent the upper end of the valve mounting sleeve 48.

When the valve 5t} is in its closed position as shown in FIGURE 3, the valve head area exposed to the combustion pressure impulse supplied to the valve chamber 60 is substantially less than that exposed to the pressures occurring in its associated combustion chamber. The differentials in exposed area and in pressure application to the valve head cooperate with the acoustical length and restriction of the inter-cylinder connections of the conduits 46 to insure initial opening of each injector valve 58 during the latter portion of the compressive cycle occurring within its associated combustion chamber. Such initial valve opening occurs when the combustion impulse supplied to the valve chamber 60 reaches a pressure level overcoming the precompression of the valve return spring 66 and the compressive pressure rise in the associated cylinder. This initial valve opening impulse pressure is achieved whenever the combustion pressure within the pressure supplying cylinder reaches an intermediate pressure occurring substantially below and prior to its peak combustion pressure level under rated power demand conditions, By proper design selection of the acoustical lengths and the restriction of each inter-cylinder connection, the valve opening pressure impulse is timed to reach the valve chamber so during the latter portion of the compressive cycle in the impulse supplied cylinder. The initial opening of the valve member exposes the additional valve seating area of the valve head to the supplied combustion pressure impulse thereby insuring actuation of the valve member to an opened position.

The valve member is maintained in its opened, pressure impulse injecting position until the combustion pressure impulse supplied to the chamber 6b is equalized and overcome by the combined biasing effort of the valve return spring and the pressure within the associated cylinder. Depending upon the designed precompression and deflection rate characteristic of the valve return spring 66, such valve closing may be efiected by the rise in compressive pressure prior to ignition of the combustible charge or by the initial rise in pressure after combustion has been initiated.

It will be appreciated that opening actuation of the several injector valves 58 occurs only when the power demand imposed on the engine increases the peak combustion pressures in the several cylinders beyond the designed intermediate pressure level. During the brief period that the injector valve is opened under such engine operating conditions, only a limited volume of high pressure gas is injected into the associated combustion chamber through the annular orifice defined between the valve seat 62 and the valve head 64. While essentially combustion exhaust gases, the limited quantity of gas thus injected has been cooled in its passage through the ambient air exposed conduit 46 and through the head jacket exposed valve casing 32. The injected gas is further cooled by its throttled expansion into the combustion chamber 28. The injected gas slightly supercharges or increases the effective compression ratio of the combustible charge but primarily serves to cool and agitate the combustible charge in the end gas region of the combustion chamber. This cooling and agitation of the combustible charge in the end gas region prior to and during the initial period of flame front propagation in the main portion of the combustion chamber 2% accelerates the rate of flame front travel through the combustible charge and prevents the generation of a counter-detonating flame 'front in the end gas region.

The invention thus provides a method and apparatus for improving the combustion eificiency of a high compression, high speed internal combustion engine, at the same time reducing the anti-detonation fuel requirements thereof.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made in the preferred illustrative embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of expansible combustion chambers having sequentially phased compressive and expansive cycle portions and having means for sequentially charging, firing and exhausting said combustion chambers, passage means connecting each of said combustion chambers m series to a combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore and to a combustion chamber firing immediately thereafter, pressure operated injector valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chambers and operable to inject a combustion gas pressure impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, said valve means including a valve member subjected to the differential pressures occurring within its associated combustion chamber and passage means and spring means normally biasing said valve member to a closed position, said valve member being pressure actuated to an opened gas impulse injecting position in opposition to said spring means whenever the differential pressures applied thereto exceeds the biasing action of said spring means, and each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction to time the pressure impulse opening of its associated injector valve member during the compressive cycle portion of its associated combustion chamber and immediately prior to the firing of the combustible charge therein.

2. In an internal combustion engine, means defining a plurality of expansible combustion chambers having sequently phased compressive and expansive cycle portions, means for sequentially charging, firing and exhausting said expansible chambers in phased relation to each other, passage means interconnecting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chamber defining means and operable to inject a combustion gas pressure impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, said valve means including a valve member subjected to the combustion gas pressure supplied through its associated passage means and spring means normally biasing said valve member to a closed position, said valve member being pressure actuated to an opened gas impulse injecting position in opposition to said spring means whenever the combustion pressure impulse applied thereto exceeds combined valve biasing forces of the pressure within the associated combustion chamber and of said spring cans, and each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction to time the pressure impulse opening of its associated injector valve member during the compressive cycle portion of its associated combustion chamber and immediately prior to the firing of the combustible charge therein.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders and pistons reciprocably mounted therein to define a plurality of expansible combustion chambers having sequentially phased compressive and expansive cycle portions, valve means for sequentially charging and exhausting said combustion chambers in phased relation to each other, means for sequentially initiating combustion within each of the several combustion chambers at one side thereof, passage means interconnecting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, each of said combustion chambers being connected to a combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore and to a combustion chamber firing immediately thereafter, and pressure operated injector valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chambers and operable to inject a combustion gas pressure impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, said injector valve means each including a valve member opening into the associated combustion chamber on the side thereof opposite the combustion initiating means, and spring means normally biasing said valve member to a closed position, said valve member being pressure actuated to an opened gas injecting position in opposition to said spring means whenever the combustion pressure impulse applied thereto exceeds the combined force applied thereto by the pressure within the associated combustion chamber and by the biasing action of the spring means, and each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction to time the pressure impulse opening of its associated injector valve member during the compressive cycle portion of its associated combustion chamber and immediately prior to the firing of the combustible charge therein.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a plurality of cylinders and pistons reciprocably mounted therein to define a plurality of expansible combustion chambers having sequentially phased compressive and expansive cycle portions, valve means for sequentially charging and exhausting said combustion chambers in phased relation to each other, and means for sequentially initiating combustion within each of the several combustion chambers at one side thereof, passage means interconnecting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, and pressure operated injector means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chambers and operable to inject a combustion gas pressure impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, said injector valve means each including a valve member opening into its associated combustion chamber on the side thereof remote from the combution initiating means, said valve member having a first chamber pressure exposed area, a second area continu ously exposed to the pressure supplied through the associated passage means, and a third area additionally exposed to the pressure supplied through the associated passage means whenever said valve member is in its opened position, spring means normally biasing said valve member to a closed position in opposition to the pressure supplied through the associated passage means, said valve member being actuated to an opened gas injecting position in opposition to said spring means whenever the combustion pressure impulse applied to the second area exceeds the combined force applied thereto by the spring means and by the associated combustion chamber pressure applied to the first area thereon, each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction to time the pressure impulse opening of its associated valve member during the latter portion of the compressive cycle and immediately prior to the firing of the combustible charge within its associated combustion cham ber, thereby agitating and suppressing detonation of the combustible charge within the chamber portion remote from the combustion initiating means, and said valve member being actuated to its closed position whenever the combined force applied thereto by the spring means and by the combustion pressure within the associated combustion chamber acting on said first area exceeds the force applied thereto by the passage supplied pressure impulse acting on said second and third areas.

5. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 4, cooling means associated with said passage and valve means to cool the passage supplied combustion gas pressure impulse prior to its injection into the valve associated combustion chamber.

6. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 4, said valve means being operable to inject the combustion gas pressure impulses supplied thereto into their associated combustion chambers only when the combustion pressure peaks attained in the several combustion chambers exceed a predetermined pressure level corresponding to a certain intermediate power output level of the engine.

7. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of sequentially phased expansible combustion chambers and having means for sequentially charging and exhausting said combustion chambers and means for sequentially initiating combustion Within each of the several combustion chambers, passage means interconnecting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, check valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chamber defining means, each of said check valve means opening into a portion of its associated combustion chamber remote from the combustion initiating means and being operable to inject a combustion gas pressure inpulse therein from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, and each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction and coacting with its associated check valve means to time the pressure impulse opening thereof to the cycle portion immediately prior to and during the initial firing of the 6 combustible charge within its associated combustion chamber thereby agitating the combustible charge to increase the rate of flame front propagation and suppressing detonation within the combustion chamber portion remote from the combustion initiating means.

,8. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 7, cooling means associated with said passage and valve means to cool the passage supplied combustion gas pressure impulse prior to its injection into the valve as sociated combustion chamber.

9. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 7, each of said valve means being operable to inject the combustion gas pressure into its respective combustion chamber only when the combustion pressure peaks attained in its impulse supplying combustion chamber exceeds a predetermined pressure level corresponding to a given intermediate engine power output level.

10. In an internal combustion engine having a plural ity of sequentially phased expansible combustion chambers and having means for sequentially charging and exhausting said combustion chambers, and means for sequentially initiating combustion at one side of each of the several combustion chambers, passage means intercom necting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chamber defining means and operable to inject a combustion gas pressure impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing immediately therebefore, said valve means opening into the portion of its associated combustion chamber remote from the combustion initiating means, and means for sequentially timing the pressure impulse injecting opening of each valve means immediately prior to and during the initial firing of the combustible charge within its associated combustion chamber thereby cooling and agitating the combustible charge and suppressing detonation within the combustion chamber portion remote from the combustion initiating means.

11. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 10, cooling means associated with said passage and valve means to cool the passage supplied combustion gas pressure impulse prior to its injection into the valve associated combustion chamber.

12. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 11, said valve means being operable to inject the combustion pressure gas impulse supplied thereto into their associated combustion chambers only when the combustion pressure peaks attained in the several combustion chambers exceed a predetermined pressure level corresponding to an intermediate power output level of the engine.

13. In an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 10, each of said valve means being operable to inject the combustion gas pressure impulse supplied thereto into its respective combustion chamber only when the engine is operating above a predetermined power output level.

14. In an eight-cylinder V-engine having means for sequentially charging, firing and exhausting the cylinder defined combustion chambers thereof in phased relation to each other, passage means interconnecting the several combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, check valve means associated with the passage means leading to each of said combustion chambers and operable to inject a combustion pressure gas impulse into its respective combustion chamber from the combustion chamber firing approximately 90 of crankshaft rotation therebefore, and each of said passage means being of an acoustical length and restriction and coacting with its associated check valve means to time the pressure impulse opening thereof to the cycle portion immediately prior to and during the initial firing of the combustible charge within its associated combustion chamber thereby agitating and suppressing detonation of the combustible charge Within the chamber portion remote from the combustion initiating means, and said valve member being actuated to its closed position whenever the combined force applied thereto by the spring means and by the combustion pressure within the associated combustion chamber exceeds'the force applied thereto by the passage supplied pressure.

15. In an eight-cylinder V-engine having means for sequentially charging, for initiating combustion firing and for exhausting the several cylinder defined combustion chambers thereof in 90 phased relation to each other, passage means interconnecting said combustion chambers in series in accordance with the phased relation therebetween, said passage means being connected to each succeeding combustion chamber at a point remote from the combuston initiating means therein, and valve means associated with the connection of said passage means leading to each succeeding combustion chambers and operable to inject a combustion generated gas pressure impulse from the passage connected combustion chamber firing approximately 90 of crankshaft rotation therebefore into the adjacent passage connected portion of its respective combustion chamber remotely from the combustion initiating means therein, and means for timing the pressure impulse opening of each valve means to the cycle portion immediately prior to the firing of the combustible charge within its associated combustion chamber thereby agitating and suppressing detonation of the combustible charge within the chamber portion remote from the combustion initiating means, and said valve means being actuated to its closed position Whenever the combined force applied thereto by the spring means and by the combustion pressure within the associated combustion chamber exceeds the force applied thereto by the passage supplied pressure impulse.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF EXPANSIBLE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS HAVING A SEQUENTIALLY PHASED COMPRESSIVE AND EXPANSIVE CYCLE PORTIONS AND HAVING MEANS FOR SEQUENTIALLY CHARGING, FIRING AND EXHAUSTING SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING EACH OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS IN SERIES TO A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FIRING IMMEDIATELY THEREBEFORE AND TO A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FIRING IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, PRESSURE OPERATED INJECTOR VALVE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSAGE MEANS LEADING TO EACH OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS AND OPERABLE TO INJECT A COMBUSTION GAS PRESSURE IMPULSE INTO ITS RESPECTIVE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FROM THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FIRING IMMEDIATELY THEREBEFORE, SAID VALVE MEANS INCLUDING A VALVE MEMBER SUBJECTED TO THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES OCCURRING WITHIN ITS ASSOCIATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND PASSAGE MEANS AND SPRING MEANS NORMALLY BIASING SAID VALVE MEMBER TO A CLOSED POSITION, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING PRESSURE ACTUATED TO AN OPENED GAS IMPULSE INJECTING POSITION IN OPPOSITION TO SAID SPRING MEANS WHENEVER THE DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES APPLIED THERETO EXCEEDS THE BIASING ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS, AND EACH OF SAID PASSAGE MEANS BEING OF AN ACOUSTICAL LENGTH AND RESTRICTION TO TIME THE PRESSURE IMPULSE OPENING OF ITS ASSOCIATED INJECTOR VALVE MEMBER DURING THE COMPRESSIVE CYCLE PORTION OF ITS ASSOCIATED COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FIRING OF THE COMBUSTIBLE CHARGE THEREIN. 